nhpln

Does the Cyber Gray have the tint coat (extra cost) like VY/CRM/JSB?

talon90

Pricing is not publicly released but plan on it. It will likely be a premium color option.

Gman in NC

My machine silver wasn't a premium color but I wouldn't be surprised that the new gray will be. Just because it can.

rockethead7

I agree.

"Premium tintcoat" are the words that GM uses, making it *sound* like it cost them more money to paint the car that color, and they're just passing on the expense. But, kid yourself not, "premium tintcoat" really means - "we know you really want this color, now fork over some extra cash"....

I'm fine with this, by the way. They have the right to charge whatever they want, and as long as people are paying it, you can't fault them for it. My C6 is Velocity Yellow, and I wouldn't have it any other way... $750 extra or not.

So, if people don't want a new color to be a "premium" color, everyone should band together, stop the hype, pretend like it means nothing, get the word to GM that the new color isn't all that great (secretly drooling about it), then order it. Easier said than done, of course. Something tells me that GM knows darn well which colors will sell for a premium, and which won't.

nhpln

Black is the most popular color on the C6 but there is no extra charge for it

talon90

I know that you don't want to hear this (sometimes a good gripe is just that) but the premium tint coat colors do actually cost more to paint.

Each Corvette is painted with a primer coat, a color coat and a clear coat. The "premium" colors have either a tinted clear coat or a metallic basecoast, both cost extrain materials. So what, still three coats you say? Well the plant has a limited number of paint robots and clear robots. Since every regular color with conventional clear goes through the same robot no extra effort is required. Now, to paint the tint coat colors the robot must be broken down and cleaned top to bottom. The nozzles must be changed and the settings for painting the panels must be changed. This takes time. Valuable time actually when you consider that the paint shop is only about a week ahead of the production line. Once the run of this particular color is done it must be done all over again for the conventional clear. Since each tintcoat color is different it must be done for each of the tinted panels.

Now, does it cost $350.00 or $750.00? I don't know but it takes extra effort, extra time and the paint components are more expensive. How much so, only GM knows that.

rockethead7

Oh, of course, I know that not every color is created equal (cost wise). And, I'm no expert on what GM paid for each paint (both to purchase, and to implement). But, just from a layman's view, I'd expect a silver metallic paint to be as expensive (probably more) than a non-metallic yellow. Yet, which do they charge more for?

One could also argue that the "premium" colors are actually produced in greater quantity than some of the non-premium colors... thus, the expenses of switching nozzles and paint, etc., are actually more expensive the other way around.



Anyway, the bottom line is... I am sure they charge a premium when they can GET IT... not necessarily 100% tied to whether it actually cost them more... especially not $750 per car.

talon90

You make some good points and I don't disagree that they will charge what they can get. The only comment on the non-premium colors is that all of them share a common clear coat. All the colors can go through the same clear coat robot. The tint coat clear is specific to the individual color that it is on. They don't have enough space or equipment to leave a dedicated tint coat setup.

rockethead7

Yup, cool... good point... thanks for the info.

rockethead7

I wonder what they're going to do with the ZR1's carbon fiber coat. I saw one thing that said it's $6,000 per gallon. Then, in that big million dollar auction for the first ZR1, I hear that they said it was $60,000 per gallon. Don't know which one is correct (obviously one of them slipped a decimal point). But, now THERE is a premium coat!!!

JmpnJckFlsh

Think about it...If it takes a gallon of color to paint a car, then at $60K a gallon, the paint would be a significant portion of the car's total manufacturing cost...which wasn't even in the same universe as the final auction price. Even at $6K gallon, it stretches credibility.

That wouldn't be the first time an enthusiastic auction airhead exaggerated the background info...can you say "numbers matching"?

jschindler

I was thinking about that new color today. I'm wondering if it's the same color as offered on some Cadillacs (CTS that I know of) called Thunder Gray Chroma-Flair. It's an extra cost option on the CTS - same price as Crystal Red on the CTS

C6NRED

Cyber gray is a gorgeous color on every ZR1 I've seen it on.

The clear coat for the carbon fiber on the ZR 1 is 60K per gallon and they will use a 1/2 gallon per car. It is specially made to eliminate the passage of ultra violet light wavelenghts, which yellows carbon fiber.

DWS44

My Dad just recently took delivery of an 08 CTS in the Thunder Gray. I spent some time Zainoing it, and it does look VERY close to the new Cyber Gray, though I havent gotten to see Cyber Gray in person yet...just pictures. The Thunder Gray is a beautiful color!

jschindler

Ummm, do you REALLY think they are spending $30,000 on this special paint on each ZR1? Kind of doesn't make sense given that the car is only going to be about $20,000 more than a Z06.

rockethead7

I just looked it up - Motor Trend's article says that the ADDITIVE that is used in the carbon fiber's clear coat finish is $60,000 per gallon. However, it's only a 3% concentration of that additive (making the cost about $2000 per gallon... plus whatever other expenses are involved, above and beyond the additive).

I think the "enthusiastic auction airhead" was Jay Leno?? I'll have to try to see if I can find the auction itself to confirm (my memory on this is loose).

rockethead7

Oh, and also, just to respond to your comment about the logic of it... the special coating wasn't paint. It's a clear coat that is engineered to prevent yellowing. And, it's only on the carbon-fiber parts, not the whole car (so it wouldn't use a gallon).

Sportsdude

It does look nice from photos and hope to see it in person soon.